Hello, my name is Almetria and I am a native Memphian and product of Orange Mound having graduated with honors from White Station High School and earned a Bachelors and Masters degree in Journalism with an emphasis in Advertising and Public Relations from the University of Memphis and a Certificate in Women’s Entrepreneurship from Cornell University.
I am the proud owner of Fit and Finally Free, a lifestyle, weight management and fitness company, Roots + River Wellness, a Full Spectrum doula and perinatal service company and Morning by Mourning an end of life and pregnancy loss doula service that provides physical, emotional, informational and sometimes spiritual support to compassionately help guide terminally ill people, pregnant people and their loved ones through the dying and grief process.
I am a huge advocate of holistic health and wellness after having experienced my own wellness journey of overcoming morbid obesity by naturally losing over 170lbs, diabetes and hypertension over the course of four years.
My weight loss, yoga and running journey has been featured on NBC’s, “The Today Show,” the national running publication, “Women’s Running Magazine, Redbook Magazine, Dr. Oz Show, Dr. Oz online, TBN, Yahoo Health, The Huffington Post, The Daily Mail UK, CNN, Memphis Health and Fitness Magazine, Nashville Fit Magazine, The Best Times Newsmagazine, the Southern Women’s Show, Memphis Voyager, Canvas Rebel Magazine, Corepower Yoga, Kidding Around Yoga, RoadID, local news outlets and many other national and international media outlets.
I am an Entrepreneur, Full Spectrum Birth and Postpartum Doula trained through BADT and DONA, End of Life Doula through INELDA, Certified PAIL (Pregnancy and Infant Loss) Advocate and Doula through QUILT-Center for Advocates, trained childbirth educator through BADT, National Certified Child Passenger Safety Technician through Safe Kids Worldwide and NHTSA, Food and Fitness Blogger, Motivational Speaker, Celebrity Chef, Certified Yoga and Fitness Instructor, Reiki Master and Teacher, Brand Influencer, Community Advocate, Lifestyle, Wellness and Running Coach, Author and a Marathoner. My mission is to empower and inspire people how to live a healthy, holistic, and well-balanced life through food, faith, fitness, and fun.
Currently, I’m studying to become certified in Perinatal Mental Health with Postpartum Support International where I currently serve as a Perinatal Mental Health Volunteer Support Coordinator and I recently finished my training as a Certified NAMI Peer to Peer Leader and Peer Recovery Specialist with the Tennessee Department of Mental Health. I’m also certified as an Adult and Youth Mental Health First Aid Responder through the National Council for Mental Wellbeing.
As I was completing my prenatal and postnatal yoga teacher training with Trinatal Yoga School formerly known as Utah Prenatal Yoga, I learned how many African American women were dying at alarming rates during and after childbirth due to health disparities, not taken seriously, postpartum mood disorders as well as the infant mortality rates especially within the Memphis and Mid-South area.
This is one of the many reasons why I decided to become a Full Spectrum Birth, Postpartum, End of Life and PAIL Doula is because families come in many different forms, shapes and sizes.
In 2022, I decided to join the Tennessee Maternal Mortality Review Task Force, Healthy and Free Tennessee Doula Task Force and the March of Dimes Maternal HealthCARE Community Accountability Panel to help bridge the gap and eliminate these socio-economic, racial and health disparities that are social determinants within my community.
Everyone deserves holistic support throughout the perinatal process whether it’s going through IVF, adoption, surogacy, pregnancy, or loss; to have a safe, calm, dignified and empowered birth and postpartum process at home, within a birthing center or hospital.
I’m a registered 200 hour yoga teacher, chair, ayurveda and restorative yoga teacher through Yoga Alliance from the Yoga and Ayurveda Center as well as a registered 200 hour yoga teacher in yoga sculpt from Corepower Yoga, a Registered 85 hour prenatal and postnatal yoga teacher from Utah Prenatal Yoga (Trinatal Yoga School) trauma informed yoga teacher from Three Acres and a Half Yoga, baby yoga teacher from Yogi Beans and children’s yoga teacher from Cosmic Kids Yoga and Kidding Around Yoga.
In the group fitness and personal training realm, I’m also certified in personal training, group exercise, indoor cycling, barre, mat pilates, core and functional fitness, Les Mills body pump, bootcamp, Silver Sneakers, Silver and Fit, congregational health promotion, adult and youth mental health first aid, as a Certified Nutrition Educator from the Utah State University Extension Program, a Usui Ryoho Reiki Master and Teacher, a Certified SAIL (Stay Active and Independent for Life) Leader from the Tennessee Commission of Aging and Disability, a RRCA Certified Adult Distance Running Coach and Race Director as well as an USA Track and Field Level One Track and Field Coach and a Level Two Endurance Coach, a NFHS Cross Country Coach and a Certified Prenatal and Postnatal Coach with Girls Gone Strong.
I started my running journey in 2014, and I’ve completed every running distance besides an ultra marathon including 15 half marathons, 2 marathons, 2 Ragnar 200 mile relays, and a Big Buffalo 50k relay.
In 2018, I became the official certified corporate running coach for the City of Memphis where I have successfully trained city employees to complete a 5k with the American Heart Association’s Mid-South Heart Walk and Red Dress Dash and the St. Jude Walk/Run for Childhood Cancer Awareness events.
In 2018, I made it to the final round in Nashville during the nationwide search for Season Nine of Masterchef. I have been featured as a celebrity guest chef for the Southern Women’s Show and was named as one of the New Century Memphians whom are making a difference in the community by changing the world around us for Memphis in May and it’s Bicentennial celebration.
In the Summer of 2019, REI-Co-op Headquarters, Tastemade a global and digital food and travel network for millenials and Shelby Farms Park filmed a mini documentary about my weight loss and running journey called, “Pedals through Pavement,” examining the power of the outdoors in urban environments through the eyes of the people who utilize and maintain them.
In 2019 and 2020, Fit and Finally Free, my lifestyle and wellness company, was recognized by the Governor’s Foundation for Health and Wellness as a Healthier Tennessee Workplace by implementing wellness programs that will benefit employees’ health and well being in the state of Tennessee.
In my spare time, I have volunteered on the St. Jude Heroes Ambassador Board, as a St. Jude National Social Media Influencer and is the past Faith Based Organizational Chair over their Walk/Run event to end childhood cancer. For three seasons, I was a volunteer assistant running coach with Girls on the Run.
I’m also a Memphis River Parks Partnership Ambassador, an American Diabetes Association advocate, member of the USA Track and Field Association, Yoga Alliance, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., and a former member of the Junior League of Memphis where I served as the founder of the JFIT Health and Wellness Affinity Group and on the Training Council in which I facilitated various training sessions covering wellness, DEIB, branding, leadership, entrepreneurship, fundraising, membership, community engagement, advocacy and more.
I was honored as the 2021-2022 Junior League of Memphis Training Council Volunteer of the Year as well as voted as the Program Chair on the Junior League’s 2022-2023 International Executive Board for the AJLI Women of Color Affinity Group where I helped cultivate strategic programming to enhance their membership experience, strengthen shared experiences and nurture their leadership potential within their respective leagues.
I would love to work with you throughout your perinatal journey whether it’s through birth and postpartum doula support, perinatal fitness, yoga, mental health support, alternative reiki therapy, nutritional counseling, or meal preparation as you expand, educate and empower your family towards holistic health and wellness for generations to come.
Memphis Doulas | Roots + River Wellness 